The Russian-designed RD-180 main engine is ignited and undergoes checkout prior to launch.

T+00:01.1

Liftoff

The three strap-on solid rocket boosters are lit as the Atlas 5 vehicle, designated AV-031, lifts off and begins a vertical rise away from Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.

T+01:56

Jettison SRBs

Having burned out of propellant approximately 25 seconds earlier, the spent solid rocket boosters are jettisoned to fall into the Atlantic Ocean.

T+03:34

Nose Cone Jettison

The payload fairing that protected the AEHF 2 spacecraft during launch is separated once heating levels drop to predetermined limits.

T+03:39

Forward Load Reactor Jettison

The Forward Load Reactor deck that supported the payload fairing's structure to Centaur upper stage is released seconds after the shroud's jettison.

T+04:18

Main Engine Cutoff

The RD-180 main engine completes its firing after consuming its kerosene and liquid oxygen fuel supply in the Atlas first stage.

T+04:24

Stage Separation

The Common Core Booster first stage of the Atlas 5 rocket separates from the Centaur upper stage. Over the next few seconds, the Centaur engine liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen systems are readied for ignition.

T+04:34

Centaur Ignition 1

The Centaur RL10 engine ignites for the longer of the two upper stage firings. This burn will inject the Centaur stage and AEHF 2 spacecraft into a parking orbit.

T+13:57

Centaur Cutoff 1

The Centaur engine shuts down after arriving in a planned parking orbit. The vehicle enters a brief coast period lasting nearly 8 minutes before arriving at the required location in space for the second burn.

T+22:06

Centaur Ignition 2

The Centaur re-ignites over the equatorial Atlantic to accelerate the payload into geosynchronous transfer orbit from the parking achieved earlier in the launch sequence.

T+27:48

Centaur Cutoff 2

At the conclusion of its second firing, the Centaur will have delivered the AEHF 2 spacecraft into the targeted orbit with an apogee of 31,070 statute miles, perigee of 140 statute miles and inclination of 21 degrees.

T+51:11

Spacecraft Separation

The U.S. military's second Advanced Extremely High Frequency communications satellite is released into orbit from the Centaur upper stage to complete the AV-031 launch.

Data source: United Launch Alliance.

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